[BBreig]

Hi everyone, I have just found this page while researching to get a German Shepard puppy! I am so excited to learn everything I can. I had a German Shepard growing up and she was my best friend as a child. My husband has had dogs most of his adult life, but this will be his first experience with a German Shepard. I am hoping to get advise on finding a reputable breeder. We live in Maryland but are willing to travel to surrounding states. I want to make sure that we can visit the breeder and meet the parents prior to picking our puppy. We are looking for a new family member, not a show dog. I have heard a lot of mixed reviews on various breeders and will take any advise someone is willing to share. Thank you in advance!

 

[Jax08]

*shepherd

When you contact a breeder make sure you spell it correctly

what exactly are you looking for? working line? show line? german or american? sport? active pet?

When you say "We are looking for a new family member, not a show dog" you need to understand that all puppies will be the same price. Just because they aren't a top working / show prospect doesn't make them less valuable. Not sure if that's what you meant by that. A litter will produce a variety of drives and temperaments. Some in the litter go on to work or show, others are pets.

It's very unlikely you will meet both parents at a reputable breeder. They typically do not have "breeding pairs" but instead own the female and pick the best male for her. For instance, the breeder of my youngest just bred her female to a male from west coast.

 

[Nigel]

Research the breed thoroughly! Read about lines, temperament, drives, health etc... Take in all the knowledge you can to not only help you decide what type of GSD you would like, but also to help avoid the mine field of poor breeding out there. Oh yeah, temperament is genetic.